orb

A spherical body; a sphere, especially one of the celestial spheres; a sun, planet, or star

Noun

  1. A spherical body; a sphere, especially one of the celestial spheres; a sun, planet, or star
    • In the small orb of one particular tear. - c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and...
    • Whether the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rolled. - 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […];...
  2. Celestial sphere; one of the azure transparent spheres conceived by the ancients to be enclosed one within another, and to carry the heavenly bodies in their revolutions
  3. A structural motif or finial in the shape of a sphere
  4. An orbit of an heavenly body
    • The schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics, and epicycles, and such engines of orbs. - 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Superstition”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna...
    • You seem to me as Dian in her orb. - 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
    • In orbs / Of circuit inexpressible they stood, / Orb within orb. - 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […];...
  5. The time period of an orbit
    • Know none before us, self-begot, self-rais'd / By our own quick'ning power, when fatal course / Had circl'd his full Orbe, the birth mature / Of this our native Heav'n, Ethereal Sons. - 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost,...
  6. The eye, seen as a luminous and spherical entity
    • A drop serene hath quenched their orbs. - 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker,...
    • Painfully, he forced his hot eyelids to unclose, and his distended orbs sought for some object whereon to fix; they met the patch of grass, yet red with the blood of Walter Maynard. - 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth]...
  7. Any revolving circular body, such as a wheel
    • The orbs Of his fierce chariot rolled. - 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker,...
  8. A sphere of action.
    • By what fatality the orb of my genius […] acts upon these men like the moon upon a certain description of patients, it would be irksome to inquire - 1815, William Wordsworth, Essay, Supplementary to the Preface:
    • But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe. - c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and...
  9. A globus cruciger; a ceremonial sphere used to represent royal or imperial power
  10. A translucent sphere appearing in flash photography (Orb (optics))
  11. A body of soldiers drawn up in a circle, as for defence, especially infantry to repel cavalry.
  12. Amount of deviation from the closest perfect aspect.
    • For example, an approaching transitioning aspect (i.e., for 120 degrees) is effective when it remains within 2 degrees of orb on either side of the perfect angle. - 2005, William Noah, Astrology of America, page 234:
    • Astrologers' opinions vary on how many degrees of orb to allow for each aspect. - 2012, Kris Brandt Riske, Llewellyn's 2013 Sun Sign Book: Horoscopes for Everyone, page 18:
    • For example Mars has its orb 7 degrees to the Sun. - 2015, Padam Singh, Krishna Attri, Astrology For Stock Market:

Origin

From Middle English orbe, from Old French orbe, from Latin orbis (“circle, orb”). Compare orbit.

Forms

orbs

Synonyms

ball globe sphere circle orbit year eye roller wheel area domain field province globus cruciger mound

Derived

disorb golden silk orb-weaver inorb orbic orbical orbless orblet orblike orb spider orb-web spider orby red-legged golden orb-weaver spider sea orb semi-orb semiorb

Noun architecture

  1. A blank window or panel.
    • small blank windows or panels, for in later times such panels were called orbs, blind windows - 1845, Robert Willis, The Architectural History of Canterbury Cathedral:

Origin

From Old French orb (“blind”), from Latin orbus (“destitute”).

Forms

orbs

Verb

  1. To form into an orb or circle.
    • Let each His adamantine coat gird well, and each Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield - 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be...
    • a full-orbed sun - 1842, James Russell Lowell, sonnet:
    • And is it that the haze of grief ⁠Hath stretch’d my former joy so great? […] Or that the past will always win ⁠A glory from its being far; ⁠And orb into the perfect star We saw not, when we moved therein? - 1850,...
  2. To become round like an orb.
  3. To encircle; to surround; to enclose.
    • The wheels were orbed with gold. - 1717, Joseph Addison, Metamorphoses:

Forms

orbs orbing orbed